Attachment for well-tube perforators



D. L.. SHULL ATTACHMENT FOR WELL, TUBE PERFORATORS Filed Jan. 18, 1922 `,2 sheetssheet l ATTOR N EY WITNESSES ELAAVSZB 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR,

ATTORNEY awel,

D. L. SHLLL ELL TUBE PERFORATORS Filed Jan. 18 1922 ATTACHMENT FOR W Mar. 6, 1923.

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Patented Mar. 6, i923.

DANIEL L. SHU'LL, OF BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA.

ATTACHMENT FOR WELL-TUBE PERFORATORS.

Application led `January 18, 1922. Serial No. 530,123.

T o all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL L. SHULL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bakersfield, in the county of Kern and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Attachments for Well- Tube Perforators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an attachment to perforating tools used in connection with well tubes or casings for oil wells.'

c The object is to provide a device which may be readily applied to perforating tools, such as that shown and described in the patent issued to John J. Brinkman, Patent Number 726,625, for the purpose of tripping the mechanism therein shown and causing the action ofthe well casing puncturing or perforating tool., to provide a series ofopenings in the tube or casing at any desired distance below the surface of the ground, to permit the inflow of oils or other material to be found in the different strata encounterald during the operation of drilling the we Another object is to provide a tripping mechanism and holding means which may be easily attached to the perforator, and which may be readily introduced into the upper end of the casing, always maintaining a central position in the latter during the operation of lowering the same, thus avoiding the possibility of colliding with the interior-of the casing joints, the said tripping mechanism and holding means being adapted to frictionally engage the interior of the casing and to havesufiicient holding power at any depth to trip the means for releasing the perforating cutter to act on the casing, without the necessity for lowering the entire device to the bottom of the wfell for such purpose, as has been the case in the operation of the above mentioned device and others. f

A full and complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, it being understood that while the drawings slow a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to strict conformity therewith, but may7 be changed or modified, so long as such chan es mark no material departure from the sa ient features of the invention, as specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved tripping' device shown applied in operative position to a perforating device such as referred to hereinbefore, the same being lowered into a well tube or casing, as

indicated by the arrow, the said casing being in section;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the relative position ofthe parts when the perforator is elevated or lifted to cause the tripping of the cutter holding means, such movement being indicated by an arrow;

Figure '3 is also a similar view showing the cutter inaction upon a further downward movement of the perforator, indicated by the arrow, the tripping mechanism being maintained in its position within the well casing,-

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section through the lower portion of the perforator and the improved tripping mechanism, the relative positions of the parts being the same as that shown in Figure l;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the positions of the parts as indicated in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken onthe line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 4.

During the boring of deep Wells for o1l or other material, after the modern methods of lowering a tubular well casing as the boring progresses, many different kinds of strata are encountered from which oils, etc., of different grades may be taken, and since it is advisable and desirable to bore the well to the maximum depth at once while the boring machinery is at work, it necessitates carrying an imperforate caslng the entire length or depth of the boring, otherwlse the constant inflow of oil and sand, should an attempt be made to use a perforated length or section of pipe durinE the process of lowering the casing, woul so clog. the casing as to break the string of boring tools or throw them completely out ofaction, thus retardinl or destroying the entire boring. After ihe completion' of the boring operations and the well casing 1s properly located therein, the tools are removed therefrom and the supply of oil at the bottom of the well is exhausted, either by pumping, or by natural pressure in the formof a gusher, whereupon it becomes necessary, in accordance with modern practlce, to seek other supplies that may be locatedv in different strata. above the bottom, through which the casing has been passed. It then becomes necessary to form inlets through the casing at the proper elevations and, by reason of long practice and experience, the expert has learned exactly where to locate such inlets, and the same must be formed by a' tool lowered into the casing, somey times hundreds offeet lbelow the surface of the ground, and the said tool is caused to lform holes through the casing by certain manipulations, through which the oil may be taken and conveyed or pumped to the surface in the ordinarymanner. f

The above mentioned Brinkman perforating tool has been found in practice to be useful, but the same has the disadvantage of requiring the complete lowering of the same to the bottom bf the well in order to actuate the tripping mechanism, and then requiring the elevation of the saine again to the desired point where the perforatlons are to be made, thus entailing great expense and loss of time. The improved tripping mechanism of the present application is fully capable of tripping the cutting or perforating means at any point along the line of the casing, and whilethe same has been shown in connection with the Brinkman perforator, it is to be understood that the same may be attached to other devices of similar character and used with equal advantage.

No attempt has been made to illust-rate i the detail construction of the perforating tool in its entirety, the showing thereof, in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, being deemed sufficient.

The perforator. comprises a body 1. suspended or lowered into the casing 2 by means of smaller tubing 3, suitably connected by the usual couplings, the lengths of tubing being connected, as the tool is lowered in the well-` At the lower end, the body ljcarries a tubular extension 4, having at its lower end, a closure cap 5 adapted to exclude all matter from the interior of the extension, and to form a suitable guide for a rod 6 connected at its upper end to a yoke having a lower cross bar connecting a pair of spaced, upstanding rods 7, guided through suitable slots formed in the body member, and havinghorizontally disposed. transverse slots 8 at their upper ends, said upper ends being provided with enlarged heads 9 and housed in recesses 10 formed in the opposite sides of the body member, so that they lie flush with the outer diameter of the latter and o'er no projections to interfere with the sliding of the bod 7 are adapted to form bearings for the opposite trunnions 13 of a cutter wheel 14, which is in the form of a star wheel having a circular series of hardened' points,l

which are adapted to be forced through the well casin in a manner to be described, the said w eel moving upwardly or downwardly a distance equal to the length of the slot 11 and its 'extension 12, a centrallylocated opening 15 beingl provided in the body to permit of such action of the wheel. It has been deemed necessary to give the above somewhat extended description of the perforator, in order that a proper under,-

standing of the improvements may be ob-` tained.

i The rod 6 projects downwardly throu h the bearing in the closure cap 5 when t e device is being lowered into the well casing. The cutting wheel 14 is held in the lower end of the vertical portion of the slot 11 and completely housed within the body 1, so that the teeth thereof do not Vcome into contact with the well casing. rStated in other language, the perforating device consists essentially of a body memberhaving guides for the perforating wheel, and a movable member connected to"the cutting wheel for moving the same from its inactive position out of contact with the casing to its active position in actual engagement with the casing, this movement being accomplished by the tripping` device ina manner to be explained.

At the lower end, the rod 6 carries a head 19 of a diameter to freely slide within a vertically disposed tubular casing 20 forming the body member of the improved tripping d'evice.- The casing 20 is provided with an enlarged upper end 21 having diametrically opposite slots 22, and closed at the upper end by a. screw cap 23 having a suitable perforation for the passage of the rod 6. Pivotally mounted in one of the slots 22 is a dog 24 of a width to freely slide in said slot, and of a length to extend across the tube and to project through the opposite slot 22 and to rest upon the bottom of the' latter, the pivot pin 25 being located at the lower end of the dog and the adjacent slot 22. A leaf spring 26 is secured to the cap 23 by a screw 27 or by any other means, and the same normall extends into the adjacent slot 22 a slight distance and is adapted to bear against the outer face of the dog, when the latter is in an upstanding position and bearing against the side of the sliding rod 6 as shown in Figure 4 of the drawing. When the said rod is drawn up out of the path of swinging movement of the dog, the spring causes the latter' to quickly fall downwardly and to restacross the bore of the tubular casing 20.

A rectangular head 28 is mounted on the tubular easing intermediately below the enlarged upper end thereof, and said head is provided with diametrically disposed slots 29 in which are mounted the upper ends of a series of four leaf springs 30, screws 31 being preferably employed to secure thle same in place. The springs 30 are bowed outwardly and are adapted to frictiona-lly engage the sides of the casing 2v and to hold the mechanism at any elevation from the bottom of the well. The lower ends .of the springs 30 extend inwardly towards the tubular casing 20 in conformity with the upper ends, and are likewise mounted in a block or head 32 of rectangular shape and having opposite slots 33 for receiving the ends of the said springs, the latter being allowed to slide in said slots 33 by screws 3,4; bearing against the outer faces of the same. The casing 2t) preferably comprises two tubular members threaded into the upper and lower heads 28 and 32 respectively, while their inner opposed ends are threaded into a central block or head 35 having a central bore or passageway registering with the bores of the tubular members comprising the casing. The central head 35 carries four outstandingpins 36 directed towards the adjacent, outwardly bowed, intermediate portions of the springs 30, the outer ends of the pins being spaced from the normal positions of the springs, and around each pin 36 is mounted a` coiled spring 37 bearing against the face of the block or head 35 and against the inner faces of the springs 30 in a manner to supplement the resiliency of the same.

'With the tripping device connected to the perforators in the manner ,shown and described. and assuming that the well has been bored the desired depth and the casing lowered accordingly, the combined toolsA are lowered into the same to the point where the tube is to be perforated. The combined weight of the perforator and the excessive weight of the tubular suspendin tubes 3 is imparted to the upper end of the tripping device and the rod 6 is telescoped into the tubular casing, thus forcing the tripping device downwardly ahead of the perforator, t-he springs 30 constantly resisting such action by frictional engagement with the inner walls of the well casing. At this time the Ahead 19 carried at the lower end of the rod 6, is considerably below the dog 24 which is bearing against the side of the rod by reason of the pressure of the spring 26. When the desired location is reached, the deyice is hoisted, as in Figure 2, when the tripper is held stationary by frictional en agement with the casing, andthe rod 6 1s drawn through ,the cap 23 until the head 19 passes the upper end of the dog 24 which permits the latter to be immediately thrown down and across the bore of the casing by the action of the spring 26. The head 19 now enages with the cap 23, and is thus prevented rom becoming disengaged therewith even though the upward pull may be suiiicient to more or less move the tripplng device in an upward direction. The yoperator knows that only a slight upward movement is necessary to accomplish this, and the lowering movel nient is again resorted to which causes tinJ head 19 to engage with the interposed do 24, when the relative movement ceases an thel holding means of the tripping device is suiicient to then force the rod 6 upwardly through the closure 5 of the perforator, when the yoke arms 7 cause the cutting wheel 14 to travel upwardlyrthrough the slot 11, and thence to the outer or upper end of the inclined portion 12 of 'the slot 11, and the points or teeth of the star wheel are caused to bite into the inner face of the casing. The enormous weight of the tubing 3 is ordinarily sufficient to force the same through the casing to provide the desired openings therein, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing at A.

Upon 'further movement downwardly of the perforating tool, a series of vertically alined openings Amay be formed through-V out the length of one of the tubes, if desired, and the device is then raised again to the height of the uppermost opening A first formed, when the tool isl given a turning movement and another vertical row of openings may be cut alongside of the first, and so on around the entire pipe, it being remembered that when moving upwardly, the wheel is drawn into a central position with relation to the body 1 and the cuttingteeth are ineffective, and the perforating is only performed during the downward movement of the device assisted by the weight above the same. A

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple and cheaply constructed tripping device for perforating devices for well casings has been provided, which will serve to trip the same at any elevation above the bottom of thc well, the same having a plurality of guiding means to prevent the same from turningr or fouling in the casing or catching on the joints of the tubes or casing.

What is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described` the combination with a perforating device comeav Mii

movable member connected to the cutting Wheel for moving the same from its inactive posi-tion out of contact'with the Well casing to its active osition in engagement with said casing,` oi a guide rod connected .to the movable member, a head on the guide rod, a tubular casing in which said guide rod. and

head ale movable, and a spring-actuated dog adapted to engage the guide rod.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a perforating device comprising a body member having guides, a. cut ting wheel movable in the guides, anda movable member connected to the cutting wheel for moving the same from its inactive position out of contact with the Well casing to its active position in engagement with said casing, of a guide rod connected to the movable member,.a head on the guide rod a tubular casing in which said guide rod and head are movable, said tubular casing being provided with opposite slots, a dog pivotally mounted to the casing and movable in the slots, and a spring to force the dog through the slots and across the path of the head on the rod.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a perforating device cornprising a body member having guides, a cutting Wheel movable in the guides, and a movable member connected to the cutting Wheel for moving the same from' its inactive position out of contact with the well casing to its active position in engagement with said casing, of a guide rod connected to the movable member, a head on the guide rod, a tubular casing in which said4 guide rod and head are movable, a spring-actuated dog adapted to engage the guide rod, and a holding means mounted on the tubular casing below the dog, said dog being movable across the bore of the casing.

4. In combination with a well casing perforator having a rotary cutter adapted to be forcibly impinged against the interior of the said casing by a longitudinal movement thereof, a holding means adapted to be slidably attached to the lower end of the longitudinally movablel cutter actuating bar of the perforatonsaid means comprising diametrically opposite bowed leaf springs adapted to frictionally engage the casing, a head to which the upper ends of the springs are secured` a tubular casing carrying said head and having at its lower end another head provided with slots for receiving and permitting the lower ends of the springs to slide therein, an intermediate head mounted on the easing having outstanding pins, coil springs surrounding the pins and bearing outwardly against the leaf springs, the upper end of the casing being closed by a cap, and a guide rod having a. head at its lower end to prevent removal from the tubular casing.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my ownI have hereto afiixed my signature.

DANIEL L. SHULL. 

